Rabat – When Ghizlane Chebbak stepped onto the pitch for her 100th appearance with Morocco, she wasn’t just reaching a personal milestone. She was adding another chapter to a career that has grown alongside the rise of women’s football in Morocco.
Over nearly two decades, Chebbak has evolved from a young girl playing football in Casablanca’s streets into the face of the Atlas Lionesses, leading Morocco through the most successful era in the history of the women’s national team.
A football journey that started at home
For Chebbak, football was never a passing interest. It was part of her family long before it became her profession.
Being the daughter of the late Larbi Chebbak, a member of Morocco’s victorious 1976 Africa Cup of Nations squad, she grew up surrounded by the sport. While most girls her age had few opportunities to play, Chebbak found herself competing alongside her brothers and neighborhood boys, developing both her love for the game and the resilience that would define her career.
Her family’s support proved invaluable, allowing her to pursue football at a time when opportunities for women in Morocco remained limited.
Leading Morocco into a new era
Chebbak has become synonymous with the transformation of Moroccan women’s football.
She captained the Atlas Lionesses as they reached the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations final on home soil twice in 2022 ending a 22-year absence from the continental tournament in remarkable fashion. Her performances earned her both the player of the tournament award and the Golden Boot.
A year later, Morocco reached another historic milestone by qualifying for the FIFA Women’s World Cup for the first time, becoming the first Arab nation to appear at the tournament. After a difficult opening defeat against Germany, the Atlas Lionesses bounced back with memorable victories over South Korea and Colombia to reach the knockout stages.
Chebbak remained at the heart of that campaign, helping Morocco rewrite expectations on the international stage.
Individual success follows team achievement
While Morocco’s rise has been a collective effort, Chebbak’s individual accomplishments have cemented her status as one of Africa’s finest players.
She claimed back-to-back WAFCON Golden Boots and, in 2024, became the first Moroccan footballer to win the CAF Women’s Player of the Year award. The recognition reflected years of consistency at both club and international level rather than one standout season.
Her club career has been equally impressive. After dominating domestic football with ASFAR, where she collected numerous league and cup titles, Chebbak became the first Moroccan woman to move directly from the domestic league to a European club when she joined Spain’s Levante Badalona. She later continued her journey in Saudi Arabia with Al Hilal.
The century mark
One hundred international caps is a milestone few footballers reach.
For Chebbak, however, it represents more than longevity. It tells the story of a player who has witnessed Moroccan women’s football evolve from modest beginnings into one of Africa’s fastest-rising forces.
As Morocco continues its pursuit of continental success, Chebbak remains its leader, its captain, and one of its greatest ambassadors.
Her story is no longer just about reaching 100 appearances.
It is about the legacy she leaves behind every time she wears the Atlas Lionesses jersey.
